The 10 Best River Kayaking in Thailand

1.Khao Lak: Little Amazon Canoe Ride & Tam Nang Waterfall Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 442 reviews · 4h 30m · from $61Our pick

Ride a local canoe through Takuapa’s swamp forest, where guides look for snakes, monitor lizards, monkeys, and birds. Then walk about 800 meters through Si Phang-nga National Park to Tam Nang Waterfall for a swim. Guides such as Gay, Laura, and Praew are praised for their humor and nature knowledge.

“Very infomative guide. Very patient and helpful with my wife who was finding walking difficult.”

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2.Ping River Night Kayaking into City Center

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 144 reviews · 2 hours · from $50

Start with hotel pickup around 5:45 to 6 PM, then follow a guide such as A, AJ, Aidon, or Jo Jo down the Ping River. This gentle two-hour trip runs from Wat Taa-Luk toward Nawarat Bridge, with safety gear, calm current, riverside music, and city views.

“Was really fun and adventurous. 2 hours sounds long but it flew by and it was really therapeutic. Was just me and wife and we had a great time, Aidon was an amazing instructor and very accommodating. Would highly recommend and would definitely do it again!”

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3.Kayak the Jungle Rivers of Chiang Dao Valley!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 89 reviews · from $74Top rated

Leave Chiang Mai at 8:30 a.m. for Chiang Dao Valley, where guides such as Aidan teach you to handle a hard-shell kayak before you paddle through bamboo, creeks, and wetlands. The five-hour outing includes lunch, hotel transport, safety gear, water, and a support truck.

“Had a fantastic jungle kayak adventure with guide Aidan today - a wonderful mix of drifting along and navigating some rapids! I was new to using a one-person kayak but Aidan took the time to explain what to do both before we got in the wRead more”

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4.Explore kayaking through Mae Ping River on sunset

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 76 reviews · 3 hours · from $24Best value

Paddle the Mae Ping River for about two hours with an English-speaking guide such as Son, Koh, Tiger, or Tono. You’ll pass Warorot Market, city bridges, bird nests, riverside restaurants, and colorful lights as daylight fades. Hotel pickup, kayaks, life jackets, water, and insurance are included.

“Great experience, the guide was excellent, good value for money, I recommend it”

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5.Chiang Mai Biking & River Kayak : Gentle Thrills in a Lush Valley

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 45 reviews · from $81

Leave Chiang Mai for Wat Ban Den, then cycle about 20 kilometers through rice fields and villages before kayaking the Ping River in the Mae Taeng Forest Reserve. Guides such as A keep the pace friendly, with single or double kayaks, lunch, water, safety gear, and hotel pickup included.

“This is such a peaceful day out. Cycling through the countryside, stopping for snacks at a local market. We finished our bike ride by the river & transitioned to kayaks. We were given a choice of single or double kayaks. We loved watching the Read more”

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6.No.1 Chiang Mai: Leisure River Kayaking: Mae Taeng forest Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · from $74

You’ll learn to steer a single or double kayak with guide Twee and the Chiang Mai Mountain Biking & Kayaks team, then paddle the gentle Mae Ping River past water buffalo, fishermen, birds, and forest reserve scenery. Pickup, lunch, gear, water, and support are included.

“If you are looking for a serene trip to experience north Thailand nature, this is the tour to go! Kayaking was really beautiful and great view of mountains, definitely recommend in December. Also the Chiang Dao is the perfect cherry on top. Shoutout to Twee and the tour guides 🔥”

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7.15 km Leisure River Kayaking at Mae Ngat forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 24 reviews · 1 day · from $62

Spend a full day kayaking the Mae Ping River from Chiang Mai, with a safety briefing, single or double kayak, rural views, birds, lunch, and a shaded forest finish. Hotel pickup, water, safety gear, and a support truck are included. A 150 baht river fee and insurance charge are extra.

“This is the second time I've used this company and it was great both times. Everything is super organized. Our guide was so kind and helpful and we had a blast. Pick up is prompt from you hotel. You have to do a quick check in at the office. Then you drive in a van to the starting spot and learn how to kayak! We opted for the longer kayaking as we had already done the caves. It was just me, my partner and the guide for this part. Our guide was so patient and friendly. We stopped off for a delicious lunch before heading back to Chiang Mai. Thank…”

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8.Jungle Kayak Adventure with Rapids & Elephants

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 22 reviews · from $81

You’ll leave Chiang Mai at 8:30 am for the Mae Wang Valley, learn paddling and safety skills, then choose a white-water kayak or sit-on-top boat. Expect Class I and II rapids, elephant camps, jungle wildlife, riverside lunch, and optional Class III and IV rapids for experienced paddlers.

“Just a great day White water Kayaking, in a very scenic place, with lovely people, But be prepared for lots of horse fly attacks”

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9.Khao Lak’s Little Amazon: Canoe, Trek & Waterfall Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 16 reviews · 7 hours · from $101

Travel from Khao Lak with an English or Thai-speaking guide to paddle the quiet Takuapa Little Amazon, visit two local markets, walk through Si Phang-Nga National Park, swim at Tam Nang Waterfall, eat Thai food, and soak at Rommanee Hot Springs. Guide Mark has earned special praise for his friendly service.

“fin aktivitet.. Men meget af turen var kørsel da der var lidt langt imellem de forskellige ting”

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10.Krabi: Amazon Klong Srakaew Kayaking With Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 11 reviews · from $46

You’ll paddle through shady Klong Srakaew Canal with a Thai or English-speaking guide, swim in clear water, float on a rubber tube, and eat fried rice with fruit. Hotel pickup, life jackets, drinks, park fees, insurance, and lunch are included. Elephant activities are not clearly part of the advertised program.

“The best part was the kayaking, but unfortunately we didn't have a clear overview of the tour. Unfortunately, animal welfare was not a priority. Next time we would do more research beforehand.”

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